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Apr 15, 2024
5 mins read time

The step towards a greener future: Introducing PCR Bottles

Learn more about PCR bottles

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Enviroplus understands the crucial importance and commitment we need to look after our environment and the environmental impact that we have on it, but what more can we do to work towards a sustainable, greener, and more sustainable future? With the high usage of plastic already prevalent, Enviroplus is introducing 1-litre Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) bottles for our X-range to help with the sustainable reduction of plastic wastage and help reduce our carbon footprint. With this innovation, we are continuing our commitment to make steps towards creating a more sustainable, greener future.

Why is plastic usage a problem?

plastic waste

*According to the Australian Government:

  • One million tonnes of Australia’s annual plastic consumption is single-use plastic—84% of plastic is sent to landfills, and only 13% is recycled.
  • Every year in Australia, approximately 130,000 tonnes of plastic leak into the marine environment.
  • Our use of plastic is increasing, and worldwide, it will double by 2040.
  • By 2050, plastic in the oceans will be estimated to outweigh fish.

Although technology hasn’t advanced enough for us to remove plastic completely, using more sustainable products and packaging made of PCR can help us reduce the use of virgin plastic. Virgin plastic is a major contributor to global warming and impacts our world's sustainability and biodiversity.

  • Single-use plastic can take up to 20 to 1000 years to completely break down.
  • Single-use plastic is destroying our biodiversity.
  • Creating a 5L virgin bottle takes up to 50 litres of water.
  • For every kg of virgin plastic produced, 6kg of CO2e is released.

With the growing environmental concerns and the sustainability of plastic usage, compostable plastics in PCR bottles will help reduce Abco and our customer's carbon footprint and plastic waste.

Key Trends Driving the Adoption of PCR Bottles

1. Consumer Consciousness: As environmental awareness continues to surge, consumers seek products packaged in more sustainable materials. PCR bottles resonate with eco-conscious consumers who prioritise environmental responsibility and are willing to support brands aligned with their values.

2. Regulatory Pressures: Governments worldwide implement strict regulations to reduce single-use plastics and promote more sustainable packaging alternatives. In response, businesses are turning to PCR bottles as compliant and eco-friendlier solutions to meet evolving regulatory standards.

3. Corporate Sustainability Initiatives: Many companies are integrating sustainability into their core business strategies, recognising the long-term benefits of reducing their environmental impact. Implementing PCR bottles aligns with these initiatives, allowing companies to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability while enhancing their brand image, reputation and consumer loyalty.

4. Technological Advancements: Ongoing advancements in recycling technologies make producing high-quality PCR materials suitable for packaging applications increasingly feasible. Innovations in sorting, cleaning, and processing techniques are driving down costs and improving the performance and aesthetics of PCR bottles, further catalysing their widespread adoption.

What are Post-Consumer Recycled Bottles?

The new Enviroplus X-Range 1-litre bottles we are introducing are made of PCR material. PCR bottles mean the material used to make them is derived from recycled plastic previously used and collected from consumers. Repurposing existing resources instead of using new raw materials helps to reduce waste and conserve resources.

To create the PCR bottles, they are collected locally for recycling and recycled into a plastic that can formed into bottles and can be made up of recycled material ranging diverse range in quality from 30% to 100%

Benefits include:

  • Reduced CO2e vs virgin plastic by >85%.
  • PCR can be recycled up to 10 times.
  • The growth of PCR provides a closed-loop economy.

How to use the PCR bottles:

How to use our PCR 1 litre bottles

What are the benefits of switching to PCR bottles?

Environmental Benefits:

By using PCR bottles, businesses reduce waste in landfills and oceans. Additionally, creating these bottles requires less energy and resources than producing virgin plastic bottles, making it a more sustainable and environmentally safer option for businesses. With the scarcity of petroleum resources, the switch to PCR bottles also allows businesses operating less on petroleum resources to use them better.

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Reduced Energy Consumption:

The manufacturing process of creating PCR bottles requires less energy than producing virgin plastic bottles. This means businesses can reduce their carbon footprint by manufacturing and packaging them using less energy, which can help mitigate climate change's effects.

Increased Recycling

Using PCR bottles, businesses support the recycling industry's various sustainability goals and encourage their customers and consumers to recycle more. This can help reduce the amount of waste produced and increase the quality and number of recycled materials available for future use in the packaging industry.

Ease of use and less wastage

The new PCR bottles allow for no more awkward squeezing. Instead of squeezing, it is a simple upturn method. Upturn the bottle and back again to fill the dosing chamber, then it naturally drains to your required dosage. In this new method, the product cannot be spilled onto the user's hands, meaning less wastage and spillage for the user.

Innovative technology

A product with a low dilution rate means more plastic is used regardless of whether the packaging is virgin plastic or PCR. The more efficient use of biotechnology and innovation allows us to make our produce highly concentrated, up to 1:150, significantly reducing our use of plastic packaging.

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The transition towards PCR bottles in the Enviroplus X-range is a significant step to reduce our environmental impact and minimise our carbon footprint.

To learn more about the transition to PCR bottles in support of our x range sustainable products, call us on 1800 177 399 or email sales@enviroplusproducts.com.au. Are you ready to make a Clean Change?

*https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/waste/publications/national-plastics-plan-summary#:~:text=One%20million%20tonnes%20of%20Australia's,world%20will%20double%20by%202040.